Over half of Ukrainian media outlets may shut down due to U.S. aid cuts

Mykyta Poturaiev, MP and Vice President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, stated this during his speech at the First OSCE Supplementary Human Dimension Meeting.

The politician recalled the U.S. decision to halt grant support for various programs, including those for Ukrainian media, and explained the risks this poses in combating Russian propaganda.

“51% of independent Ukrainian media may cease operations this year. Among them, between 51% and 70% are regional media, meaning we could lose almost all regional media in Ukraine. Why? Because the U.S. is cutting funding. Sorry, but that’s the reality. And do you know who isn’t cutting funding? Russia. And, of course, China,” said the MP.

Poturaiev called for the urgent creation of an international fund to support independent media.

“We need long-term financial mechanisms, not short-term grants. Propaganda does not stop. And the truth must not stop either,” he emphasized.

USAID funding suspension: what is known  

On his first day in office, U.S. President Donald Trump made the decision to temporarily halt all U.S. foreign aid programs for 90 days for review.  

American diplomats urgently requested to exclude Ukraine-related programs from the 90-day foreign aid freeze issued by Secretary of State Marco Rubio.  

On January 26, media outlets, citing sources, reported that USAID received instructions to halt all projects in Ukraine.

The next day, USAID officially confirmed the suspension of funding for all programs and projects in Ukraine. The agency had funded various educational, scientific, media, and cultural projects in Ukraine, procured medical equipment and medicines for communities hosting displaced people, financed mobile medical teams that visited remote areas, as well as vaccination, rehabilitation, and psychological support programs.  

Deputy Head of the President's Office, Iryna Vereshchuk, called the temporary halt of USAID funding an unexpected and unpleasant piece of news, which cannot be ignored.  

On January 29, the Verkhovna Rada announced the start of consultations with European colleagues to replace USAID’s aid.  

U.S. Judge Carl Nichols on February 7 temporarily allowed about 2,700 employees of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), who had been sent on leave by President Donald Trump, to return to work.

On March 14, Trump signed an order to cut seven independent federal agencies. Among those left without funding were Radio Liberty and Voice of America.